ROSCOE BOLTON HAS DIED. BOLTON A LONGTIME COMMUNITY LEADER IN ALEXANDRIA, PASSED YESTERDAY AT THE ARE OF 99. BOLTON HE WAS BORN IN ALEXANDRIA, ATTENDED BOLTON HIGH SCHOOL AND LOUISIANA COLLEGE, AND THEN GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA'S WHARTON SCHOOL OF FINANCE. IN 1933, HE STARTED WORK FOR ALEXANDER & BOLTON, THE INSURANCE AGENCY WHERE HE CONTINUED TO WORK WELL INTO HIS 90S. ROSCO BOLTON WAS ALSO A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. BOLTON CELEBRATED HIS 77TH YEAR AS A ROTARIAN EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND WAS SAID TO BE THE OLDEST LIVING ROTARIAN. HIXON BROTHERS IN ALEXANDRIA IS IN CHARGE OF FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS.. AGAIN, ROSCOE BOLTON WAS 99 YEARS OLD.

STATE POLICE SAY A NATCHITOCHES MAN DIED TUESDAY IN A SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH ON U.S. HWY 71. POLICE SAY 59-YEAR OLD KENNETH JOHNSON RAN OFF THE ROAD AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.

A WEDNESDAY MORNING BLAZE NEARLY DESTROYED THE ST. JOSEPH ABBEY CATHOLIC SEMINARY IN COVINGTON. STATE FIRE MARSHAL BUTCH BROWNING SAYS THE 65 PEOPLE THAT WERE ASLEEP INSIDE THE DORMS WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE, BUT ONE PERSON HAD TO BE TREATED FOR SMOKE INHALATION. HE SAYS THEY BELIEVE THE FIRE STARTED IN A CONCRETE ROOM THAT HOUSED COMPUTER SERVERS. BROWNING DOES NOT BELIEVE THE FIRE WAS INTENTIONALLY SET.

SUPPORTERS OF LOUISIANA TECH ARE PUSHING FOR LES GUICE TO REPLACE DAN RENEAU AS THE UNIVERSITIES NEXT PRESIDENT. GUICE IS THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AT TECH. LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION PRESIDENT BENJAMIN DENNY SAYS GUICE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TECH BECOME ONE OF THE TOP SCHOOLS IN THE UL SYSTEM. RENEAU WILL RETIRE AT THE END OF JUNE AFTER 26 YEARS AS TECH'S PRESIDENT.

AN FBI INVESTIGATION IS LOOKING INTO ALLEGATIONS TWO ST LANDRY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ATTEMPTED TO EXTORT MONEY FROM THE ACTING SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR VOTE IN THE SUPERINTENDENT ELECTION. ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF BOBBY GUIDROZ SAYS HIS OFFICE IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE PROBE, BUT CAN SAY THESE ARE SERIOUS CHARGES. GUIDROZ SAYS JOHN MILLER AND QUINCY RICHARD ARE ACCUSED OF OFFERING TO TAKE MONEY FROM ACTING SUPERINTENDENT JOSEPH CASSIMERE.

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL'S ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO SHIFT $20 MILLION IN HURRICANE RECOVERY DOLLARS FOR HURRICANES GUSTAV AND IKE TO FILL IN BUDGET GAPS IN THE STATE'S FREE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS. PRESCHOOL ACCESS WON'T EXPAND WITH THE MONEY. THE DOLLARS WILL PLUG PART OF A BUDGET HOLE CREATED WHEN FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDING THAT HAD BEEN USED FOR THE PROGRAM DISAPPEARED. THE PLAN STILL NEEDS THE OK FROM H.U.D.

THE U.S. COAST GUARD IS REPORTING A W&T OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORM CAUGHT FIRE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO YESTERDAY ABOUT 35 MILES SOUTH OF TERREBONNE PARISH. THREE WORKERS WERE REPORTED TO BE ON THE RIG AT THE TIME THE FIRE BROKE OUT AND WERE ALL RESCUED AND TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES THE COAST GUARD IS REPORTING AN OIL SHEEN APPROXIMATELY 600 YARDS WIDE BY A HALF MILE LONG BUT ALL SOURCES OF OIL HAVE BEEN SHUT OFF AND THE FIRE IS NOW OUT.

THE LOUISIANA STATE RACING COMMISSION IS MEETING TODAY AND TOMORROW TO HEAR THE CASES OF NINE HORSE TRAINERS CITED FOR GIVING HORSES PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS. THE COMMISSION’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHARLIE GARDINER SAYS
THEY BEGAN TESTING FOR THE DRUG DERMORPHIN AT ALL LOUISIANA RACE TRACKS IN THE SPRING AND 11 HORSES TESTED POSITIVE AT THREE TRACKS THIS PAST SPRING. HE SAYS DERMORPHIN IS AN OBVIOUS ATTEMPT TO CHEAT AND HAS NO PLACE IN HORSE RACING. GARDINER SAYS TRAINERS COULD RECEIVE A ONE TO FIVE YEAR RACING SUSPENSION PLUS A FINE IF THEY'RE FOUND GUILTY OF ADMINISTERING THE DRUG. A RULING COULD COME DOWN BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK.

SENATOR DAVID VITTER SAYS LEGISLATION IS NEEDED TO LET COMMUNITIES REPLACE THEIR ELECTRICITY PROVIDER, IF THAT UTILITY DOES A POOR JOB. THE SENATOR HAS SENT A LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ASKING THEM TO CONSIDER A REVIEW OF STATE STATUTES ON UTILITIES. THE SENATOR FEELS ENTERGY DID A POOR JOB OF RESTORING POWER AFTER HURRICANE ISAAC. HE SAYS CURRENT LAW GIVES UTILITIES A GUARANTEED SERVICE AREA, CUSTOMERS AND PROFITS--WITH NO COMPETITION. VITTER SAYS THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION CHAIRMAN FOSTER CAMPBELL SAYS A REVIEW OF ENTERGY'S POST-ISAAC PERFORMANCE IS UNDERWAY, WITH A HEARING BEFORE THE PSC IN A MONTH. HE FEELS POLITICS ARE AT THE HEART OF VITTER'S COMPLAINT.

RESEARCHERS AT THE PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL CENTER ARE LOOKING INTO WAYS AGING AND DEMENTIA AFFECT A PERSONS MOBILITY, ESPECIALLY THEIR ABILITY TO DRIVE. DR. JEFF KELLER, DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR DEMENTIA RESEARCH AND PREVENTION AT PENNINGTON SAYS A PERSONS ABILITY TO DRIVE IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF HOW A PERSON IS AGING. KELLER SAYS IT MAY BE SURPRISING TO KNOW THAT THERE IS NO NATIONAL STANDARD TO MEASURE AN AGING PERSON'S ABILITY TO DRIVE. HE SAYS TOO OFTEN IT TAKES A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR WORSE BEFORE SOMEONE TAKES THE KEYS AWAY. KELLER SAYS THEIR STUDY WILL HELP SET THAT STANDARD.

BRITAIN’S NATIONAL PIG ASSOCIATION WARNS OF A GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF BACON AND PORK. THEY SAY DROUGHT CONDITIONS AROUND THE WORLD DROVE UP THE COST OF HOG FEED AND MANY PRODUCERS HAD TO REDUCE THEIR HERDS. BUT NATIONAL PORK BOARD ECONOMIST STEVE MEYER DOWNPLAYS TALK THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND BACON OR PORK ON THE SHELVES NEXT YEAR. HE SAYS IT WILL STILL BE THERE.. BUT WAIT, HERE IT COMES, IT WILL JUST COST MORE…

A 1,500 SQUARE-FOOT SECTION CAVED IN FROM THE EDGE OF A SINKHOLE IN ASSUMPTION PARISH TUESDAY NIGHT AND PULLED DOWN SEVERAL TREES AND PART OF AN ACCESS ROAD, PARISH OFFICIALS SAID WEDNESDAY. THE ROAD WAS BUILT TO PARK EXCAVATORS USED IN PENDING CLEANUP OF THE SINKHOLE, WHICH EMERGED AUG. 3 IN SWAMPS BETWEEN THE BAYOU CORNE AND GRAND BAYOU AREAS. THE 4-ACRE SINKHOLE HAS SEEN PERIODIC EDGE COLLAPSES, OR SLOUGHING OFF, AND HAS GRADUALLY BECOME WIDER AS THE SATURATED SOIL ON THE EDGE FALLS INTO THE SLURRY HOLE. HOWEVER, PARISH OFFICIALS SAY THE CAVE IN THIS TIME IS IN A NEW AREA. ANOTHER DISTURBING NOTE,
PARISH OFFICIALS ALSO ANNOUNCED ANOTHER BUBBLING SPOT WAS FOUND IN YET ANOTHER WATERWAY IN PIERRE PART.

AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE SAME MAN MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A STRING OF RECENT BANK ROBBERIES IN OPELOUSAS, LAFAYETTE AND BROUSSARD. THE ROBBER WAS DESCRIBED AS A LIGHT-SKINNED BLACK MAN OR DARK-SKINNED WHITE MAN IN HIS 50S, OF A HEAVY SET BUILD AND BETWEEN 5 FEET, 9 INCHES AND 6 FEET TALL. HE WAS WEARING BLUE JEANS, A WHITE T-SHIRT AND A CAMOUFLAGE HAT. THE LATEST ROBBERY WAS IN OPELOUSAS ON MONDAY.

NORTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY AND LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AT ALEXANDRIA HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOLS. THE 2013 MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOLS LIST, SELECTED BY VICTORY MEDIA, HONORS THE TOP 15 PERCENT OF COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES AND TRADE SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING THE MOST TO EMBRACE AMERICA'S MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS AND SPOUSES AS STUDENTS AND ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS ON CAMPUS.